Pannalal Bhattacharya

Pannalal Bhattacharya (c. 1930 – 27 March 1966) was an Indian singer of Bengali music. Most of the songs he sang were written by Ramprasad Sen and Kamalakanta Bhattacharya, both of whom were Shakta poets of Bengal.^[1] He was the younger brother of Prafulla Bhattacharya, the music director of the golden age of Bengali songs, and renowned singer Dhananjay Bhattacharya. He was eight years younger than his elder brother Dhananjay Bhattacharya. He developed a special style of singing, Shyama Sangeet, that continues to be used. He committed suicide at the age of 36. Pannalal Bhattacharya is the evergreen singer of Bengali music industry. Pannalal Bhattacharya is a great Matri Bhakta.

Pannalal Bhattacharya
Born	1930 (1930) Bally, Bengal Presidency, British India
Origin	India
Died	(1966-03-27)27 March 1966 (aged 36) Calcutta, West Bengal, India
Genres	Shyama Sangeet
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1947–1966

Early life

Very little is known about his background. Even the Bengali 'Cąritavidan' does not provide adequate information about his early life or childhood. He was born in Bally, Barendrapara, Howrah and spent most of his life there.

They were Barendra Brahmins. The descendants of this Bhaduri family were King Ganesh and Udayanacharya Bhaduri. 'The Levitating Saint'^[2] - Bhaduri Mahasaya- Maharshi Nagendranath's father was Parboti charan Bhaduri. Parboti charan Bhaduri's brother Kalicharan Bhaduri was the father of the renowned sitar and Esraj player Surendranath Bhattacharya. Surendranath was awarded the title of Bhattacharya.So, in stead of Bhaduri, Surendranath Bhattacharya used surname 'Bhattacharya'. Three sons of Surendranath Bhattacharya were three legends of the Bengali music world - music director Prafulla Bhattacharya, renowned singer Dhananjay Bhattacharya and Pannalal Bhattacharya.

Career

Pannalal started singing in 1947, at the age of 17, with another renowned musician, Sanat Sinha. His elder brother Prafulla Bhattacharya took them both to a program, where none of them were allowed to sing because of the immaturity in their voices. They encountered the same problem at His Master's Voice. They got their first break in Megaphone. At first Pannalal sang modern Bengali songs, until Bishwanath Kumar, a friend of Sanat Sinha signed him for his first hit Shyama sangeet, "Aamar sadh na mitilo aasha na purilo, sokoli phuraye jay ma..." (None of my desires were fulfilled, nor my hopes have come true, O mother...). This rendition is now acclaimed as a classic in Bengal. However, "Aamar Sadhna mitilo" wasn't Pannalal's first Shyama sangeet record. His earlier and popular songs include "Aamar Mayer Paye Jaba Hoye", "Tui naki Ma Dayamayee", Tui je Kemon Dayamayee", "Sakali Tomari Ichha", "Amay De Ma Pagal Kore", "Muchiye De Ma Aamar a Duti Nayan", "Moneri basona shyama" among others.

Pannalal Bhattacharya learned music from Prafulla Bhattacharya and Dhananjay Bhattacharya.

Two songs sung by Pannalal Bhattacharya - 'Bhule Gecho Jadi' and 'Sundar Tumi Bhalobasho' - composed by Prafulla Bhattacharya became very popular. Even today, without these songs sung by Pannalal Bhattacharya, composed by Prafulla Bhattacharya in Shyama Sangeet - 'Jenechei Jeenechei Tara', 'O Ma Kali Chirkaler', 'Kotha Bhabadara', 'Tui Je Kemen Dayamoyi', 'Bhebe Dekh Mon Keu Karo Nai', 'Amay De Ma Pagal Kore' - the motherly devotion of Bengalis will not complete.

Pannalal developed a special style of singing, that with devotion. His distinct voice and a spirit filled with devotion have touched the hearts of countless devotees of Mother Kali across Bengal. He became a great devotee of goddess Kali and always remained engrossed in her thoughts. Pannalal and his elder brother Dhananjay Bhattacharya, another eminent singer of Shyama Sangeet, wanted to please Kali by offering her their songs. One doesn't need to necessarily know Bengali to empathize with his unparalleled tune dripping with devotion regardless of belief. One will feel his climbing, devoted prayer to Mother Kali mounting in his own heart.

In the last years, Pannalal looked morose for some unknown reason. It is claimed by some that Dhananjay, received the divine grace of Mother Kali, the Exalted, but Pannalal didn't, and so he committed suicide on 27 March 1966, in his house on Kakulia Road. He died only at a very young age of 36, but he has claimed a paramount position in the hearts of thousands of Kali devotees since his first Shyama Sangeet performance.

Personal life

Pannalal was married and cared well for his family until his death in 1966.^[3] After his death his elder brother Dhananjay bore the responsibility of Pannalal's family, along with his own.

See also

• Dhananjay Bhattacharya